


Closure.

by swordsafety



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Catra (She-Ra) Redemption, Catra (She-Ra)-centric, Comfort/Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Other, POV Alternating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:01:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24525808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swordsafety/pseuds/swordsafety
Summary: Catra and Glimmer have a much needed talk.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 57





	Closure.

Horde Prime’s ship was clean. Too clean. It was held to the highest standards, as were his current esteemed guests, Queen Glimmer and Catra. Neither had anticipated this situation. How could they? They could never have known how big this war truly was. 

No matter how many times she was told not to, Catra could not leave Glimmer’s cell alone. Whether she was simply walking by it or trying to engage in conversation, she continued to disobey Horde Prime’s orders.

Catra and Glimmer’s talks would be different every single time. The tone was never the same, no matter how much either person would want to reach out, to express some sort of emotion, to open up. There was always some sort of underlying hostility. They were enemies, right? They would try to remain cordial, of course, but the messages were never too bright, never too friendly. They may be trying to fight on the same side now but neither could forgive the past. 

Glimmer was the first to try and open a conversation. A real conversation, not one about what they would do if they were back home, or some sort of 20 Questions nonsense. A conversation that mattered. A conversation about her mother. 

She never tried it before, afraid that Catra would simply shut the conversation down. But the thoughts wouldn’t stop running through her mind.

“Why did you do it?” Glimmer asked during their daily, no, hourly back to back conversations. They never looked at each other, never dared to show their cards too early. “The portal, I mean.”

There was a deep silence, one that could hold a million words, yet none were found. On the other side of the barrier, Catra met her emotions once again. She revisited the flashbacks that would plague her nightmares for days on end, that kept her from sleeping night after night in fear that she would have to go through it all again. Mismatched eyes darting back and forth, tracing the lines of the floor under her. This was too much too fast. How could she tell this, this  _ princess _ that it was out of revenge. Heartbreak. She wasn’t in the right state of mind at the time. There was no right or wrong, no rational decisions to be found. Only one thing mattered; winning. Winning for the first time in her whole life, even if it meant taking the whole world down with her. 

Today wasn’t the day. 

Glimmer heard a shaky breath from the other side, a movement of clothing, and footsteps into oblivion. 

She and her mom had an odd history, yes, but Glimmer never would have anticipated the day that she would have to see her go. The day that she went from being a princess to a queen. Yes they fought day in and day out, but the war was just so stressful for the both of them, with Glimmer being on the front lines and constantly risking her life, to Angella having to make important decisions on her own for the first time in forever. She had always been the queen to stay behind closed doors, to lead in the shadows. It was Micah who would always take charge. Obviously that trait fell onto Glimmer’s shoulders as well.

The day of the portal, the day she found out she would never see her again, still haunts her. The words that she said, the way she would never be able to say goodbye again. To tell her she loved her with all her heart, no matter how many times she was grounded, no matter how many times they got on each other's nerves. The love was always there.

It still is.

Leaving lines in the thick white walls, Catra was alone. Well, not really, seeing that Horde Prime had his clones constantly patrolling the hallways, directing her out of secret areas not meant for the public eye. Glimmer’s words kept repeating in her mind, never ending like a hamster on a wheel. 

_ Why did you do it? _

Catra believed she could just find another way out, to dodge her feelings as she always did. Truth be told she ran on emotions. All of her motivations in life, all of her actions, they were all inspired by her emotions. It was never what is good for everyone else. Some would say that’s selfish. Others call it surviving.

She was always on the run from something. From her thoughts, her feelings, her past. Her ambition was inspired by a need to be shown, a need to prove that she can be just as great and successful as everyone else. And she was. Even if she couldn’t even see it at times.

_ Why did you do it? _

Five words brought her to her knees. Something she couldn’t outrun. Whenever asked about the portal in the past, about Entrapta and Beast Island, about her motivations, she always lashed out. It was what she was good at, right? Catra saw her vulnerability and tried to break it into little pieces, ripping the paper up as small as she could get it.

There would always be dust though, right?

There was no one to lash out at this time. Well, there was Glimmer, but she was too quick with her words, too eager to snap back. Catra always had the upper hand though, seeing as she had freedom within the ship. Technically speaking. 

_ Why did you do it? _

Enough running.

Dodging clones (they were always weird towards her, an eerie line of being a prisoner and being an ally), Catra found the courage to go back to Glimmer’s cell. She had never seen herself like this, so prone to weakness. These five words rocked her world more than they ever would have from most other people.

She took her position, back to the wall, feet planted firmly on the ground, sitting away. 

“I,” her voice broke. Finding her composure, she continued on. Glimmer, hearing the weak voice, quickly found herself in her normal spot as well, “I was just so angry. It was, I was,” she racked her brain, trying to find the words that had slipped her tongue time and time again, “I wanted to win. I was just so sick of being last, over and over and over,” she scrunched up her nose, balling up her fists, “I hate who I was in that moment. I always will.”

Hearing Catra’s voice had surprised Glimmer, but hearing her excuses (reasons?), surprised her more. And it made her angry. 

Glimmer’s eyes widened, staring into the prison that would always stare right back at her. “I will never see my mother again because of you. I never got to say goodbye because of you,” hot tears stung her, trailing down her face, “You have caused me, my family, my friends so much pain. We keep suffering because of  _ you _ .” There was bitterness in all of those words, each statement laced with spite and heat. 

What did she expect to hear? I was following orders? She knew that the portal would destroy everything, Adora said so. She told her. There wasn’t an excuse. Nothing could make up for Glimmer being newly orphaned. Her mother was stuck in some sort of portal dimension and her father was presumed to be dead. She wasn’t around for his disappearance, so she never really understood what happened herself. 

Catra, of course, had known this. 

She was on her way to becoming the Horde Lord. She had to know the ins and outs of the Rebellion. She knew that Glimmer had become queen, she knew that that would have to mean that Angella, former Rebellion leader, was out of commission. She never really understood the depth of her actions until they were right in front of her. First it was Scorpia’s insistence that they go to Beast Island and try to bring her back and now it was Glimmer’s grief. 

No more running. But on top of that, no more talking. It would be so easy to retaliate, to say that Glimmer almost destroyed the world with the Heart of Etheria. But what would be the point?

Glimmer continued.

“I have lost so much because of you and the Horde and everything you all stand for. Why couldn’t you just leave us alone? All the lives lost because of the Horde, don’t you know you have blood on your hands? You had so many opportunities to leave, to be good for the first time in your whole life, and yet here you are,” she took a deep breath, “where we are.”

“I know for a fact that Adora-”

That was the last straw in Catra’s mind.

Catra rose, turning and facing the cell for the first time in their conversations, “You don’t get to talk to me about Adora- about anything like this. You’re not perfect,  _ Sparkles _ , you’re not innocent. I don’t owe you anything!”

Glimmer started raising her voice as well to meet Catra’s, “You owe me everything! I am not the only person who has been hurt by you! Why don’t you understand that?!”

“You don’t know me! You don’t know who I am! Stop acting like we’re friends, I’m not someone that you can just put all your blame on,” Catra fumed, meting sparkly eyes behind a green barrier. It was a good thing she wasn’t given clearance to open the door. Better yet, it was a good thing that she feared Horde Prime more than she hated Glimmer. 

_ Leave _ .

On that note, Catra had enough. Her blood was boiling, her head was spinning. It was time to go. As she stormed away to god knows where, Glimmer broke out into a sob behind her. 

They could never see the things they had in common. They were too clouded by hurt, by regret.

The next time Catra came by, they didn’t bother mentioning the last conversation. It would have just lead to their last conversation again. 

Instead, they asked one another what they’d do if they were home. Glimmer, ever surrounded by company, detailed a day full of fun, ending with a sleepover with her two closest friends. Catra pitched in, opening up for the first time, telling her about her and Adora’s sleepovers in the Horde. 

It was nice. 

Hours later Catra found herself sacrificing herself for Glimmer, no, Adora. She said the words she swore she’d never say.

_ “I’m sorry! For everything!” _

Back with her friends, safe in their company, Glimmer explained everything. Well, not everything, of course. They would never understand the dance she played with Catra day in and day out. One day they were sharing childhood stories (Glimmer’s favorite was the day that Catra scratched out Octavia’s eye for being a “meanie”) and the next they were at each other’s throats like they were back on Etheria.

But something was different now. Whether it truly was her plea to be a good person or something Glimmer would never get to see, Catra had finally done the right thing in her life. Something that would benefit somebody other than herself.

Catra had saved her. And while Glimmer was trying to make it all up to Bow, glad that she was just there and alive, Catra was facing the consequences.

Catra’s sacrifice didn’t sit well in Adora’s conscious, so of  _ course _ she went back to get her. Catra was chipped, fighting against the one she loved (really, really deep down), unable to have any control. Control. It’s what she fought for most, right? And now, in this moment, it seemed as if there was no control to be found. 

Coming back to life was a trip. All of her emotions had flooded her, embracing Adora, purring even. This was her chance. 

The chip removal process was tolling. She had to open up. Catra hated having to confront her past, but at this point, she knew the only way forward was to start making her rounds, apologizing to everyone she’s hurt. First to Adora, of course. She had caused her so much pain, so much heart break. She deserved to hear those forbidden words first. Next came Entrapta. After everything she did back during the portal days, from electrocuting her and sending her to die at Beast Island to refusing to let anyone, especially Scorpia, go back and rescue her, she deserved it. 

  
Next, well..

Glimmer had made dumplings for everyone. Her mom was the one that taught her the recipe. It was a nice reminder of times that they had together. Filling each bun had a bittersweetness to it. It was nice that her mother had left something behind for her to share with her friends. Hopefully they would take this recipe and pass it on as well.

She brought the food out to her friends, exhausted after fighting off Horde Prime’s fleet once again. Everyone dug in, enjoying each bite to her delight. The door behind them opened, the sound of metal softly grazing the floor following. Gathering her courage, Catra tapped on Glimmer’s shoulder lightly. There was no malice in her eyes, no tricks up her sleeve. 

“Can we talk?”

Glimmer, kind of shocked by the gesture, nodded and followed Catra to the other side of the room. She knew that her friends were nosey and they were probably trying to listen in, but that didn’t matter right now.

Catra took a deep breath, gathering up all of her strength so that she wouldn’t lose the energy behind her words. 

“I’m sorry. For the portal, I mean. And everything else but-” she cut herself off so that she wouldn’t keep rambling on, “I’m sorry that you had to lose your mother because of me. I know nothing I say will bring her back but- I just- I wanted you to hear that. I mean it.”

Glimmer could never expect to hear those words come out of Catra’s mouth. They had been engaged in combat for years now. The war was tiresome, and the hatred was deep seeded. But now here they stood. Forced together out of circumstance, bonding over the end of the world. Her enemy, well, former enemy, stood in front of her, cards laid out. There was nothing to hide anymore. 

The gesture invoked an emotion deep inside Glimmer that she never thought she could feel. At least, not towards Catra of all people. A slow, sappy grin started to spread on her face as her eyes welled up. Glimmer was the first to move in for a hug, startling Catra, seeing that she had very little contact that came from such a good place. Catra blinked away her tears, astounded that Glimmer would move to forgive so quickly. She embraced Glimmer back, and they stood there for what felt like hours.

  
Even though Catra was right, even though Glimmer would never see her mom again, she did have one thing. Closure.

**Author's Note:**

> hi i hope you liked this xoxo i havent written anything like this before but the idea of them talking it out really stuck out in my mind hehe
> 
> if you wanna hmu im also /swordsafety on twitter !
> 
> thank you for reading !! have a great day !!! <3


End file.
